SHIRO

If doesn’t wake up when I’m back, I’ll take him to the hospital. Akage thought as she got ready for school. She checked the time and decided to make hot rice porridge for the strange boy.

She carried the prepared porridge to his room, dropping the porridge on the table as she brought a chair close to the bed. She faced the chair backwards and straddled it, staring at the blonde boy who slept peacefully on her property.

The blonde boy woke up, his dazed blue eyes meeting a pair of red eyes as he suddenly sat up in shock. He studied his new environment as he vaguely remembered the previous night’s events.

“Where am I?” He asked with a whisper.

“My guestroom.” She responded as he searched around once more.

“How did I get here?”

“I carried you. You’re really light.”

“Who are you?” He asked, moving Akage to silence.

“Your benefactor.” Akage responded as he touched his forehead, which was neatly bandaged.

He gazed at Akage, who retained a stoic face as his hands crept to his chest. He touched it again, searching for his most important treasure, and panicked when he noticed it was gone.

“Are you looking for this?” Akage asked as she raised up a blue star-shaped necklace.

He nodded in response as he timidly stretched his hand towards her.

“P-please, can I have it back? It’s something very important to me, my treasure.” He requested a faint smile grew on Akage’s lips.

“On one condition.” He looked at Akage with an innocent curiosity. “You eat the rice porridge I made. It’s hot, and it digests well, plus you have to stay with me till your injuries heal.”

The blonde boy stayed in silence for some time, pondering whether to accept her offer, before he nodded in agreement.

Akage carried the tray from the table and dropped it on the bed. The blonde boy tried to pick up the spoon but hissed in pain before Akage grabbed the spoon from him.

“Let me feed you.” She said in a demand than a request as her heroine decided to let her feed him.

He ate in silence as Akage dedicated her attention to feeding him, watching how his lips reshaped in different sizes as she gulped softly. He gave a satisfied smile after finishing the porridge as Akage sits behind him and puts on the necklace on his thin neck.

“So, kid, where did you get such a pretty and rare necklace from?” Akage asked as the blonde boy clenched the necklace on his neck and faced down.

“I… I don’t remember.” The strange boy explained sadly.

“Do you remember who gave it to you? Even if it’s just a name?” Akage asked as he shook his head.

“I don’t remember anything. All I remember is that person was my important person, and we will meet again because of it. It’s a promise I hold on to because I promised.” The blonde boy explained as he stared at the necklace.

“What’s your name, kid?” Akage asked with a neutral expression as he bit his lips softly.

“I also don’t remember. All I remember is my promise to the owner of this necklace.” He said as Akage laughed, snapping him out of his despair.

She stood up and dropped the tray on the table. She pointed at herself.

“My name is Akage Akazawa but call me Akage and since you don’t have a name, how about we give you one?” Akage suggested as the blonde boy marvelled at her warm smile.

A flashback of a little girl’s warm smile flashed in his head. He touched his forehead in pain while Akage thought of a good name.

“You’re cute, small, innocent and pure, but I want to name you a colour since my name means red hair.” Akage said, then snapped her fingers. “I got it! From now on, your name is Shiro. Do you love it?”

“Sh-i-ro. Shiro. I love it.” He responded with closed eyes smile as Akage smiled softly in response.

Shiro opened his eyes, examining the bandages that wrapped neatly around his arms before he realised what he had on.

“Um Akage, w-what happened to my clothes?” Shiro asked as she recalled thrashing it.

“I thrashed it. It was dirty, bloody, old, and worn out. You were badly injured, so I gave you a bath and cleaned you up. That reminds me...” Akage paused as she brought her lips to the embarrassed blondie. “You have such a nice body.” Akage whispered lewdly, embarrassing him further.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone what I saw. It’s not the first time seeing a guy naked, especially when I have a gang of them.” She teased him further as he blushed heatedly.

Akage stood up and headed for the door. She paused as she opened the door and stared at the embarrassed Shiro.

“I’m heading off to school. My caretaker will be here with you till I’m back. I’ve asked her to assist you with anything you need, so don’t be shy to ask and explore the house, so have fun. Also, if you think of leaving...” Akage threw a key-holder with some keys and caught it. “I and my caretaker are the only ones who can let you go.”

“OK.” He whispered. “But when will you be back?”

“I’m not your husband.” She deadpanned. “Have fun.” Akage cheered before Akage left.

“Akage Akazawa. He really is a strange person, but he's kind.” Shiro whispered as he smiled at the thought of having a name of his own.

Classes were painfully slow as Akage mentally lamented at her bento she had forgotten at home.

The hour for lunch break arrived and Akage’s fan club crowded outside class 2E; cheering and desperate for her to leave class. Akage nodded at her class boys to help her with an operation to get rid of the meddlesome girls.

“Now!” They screamed as a classmate threw a tarantula spider in the air. The girls screamed and scampered at the sight of the spider.

They closed the door with a high five, but their classroom door opened to a pretty orange hair, Yumi Izumi and her best friend Ena. Yumi held Ena’s hand, pulling the timid Ena into the class and straight to Akage’s seat.

Yumi nudged Ena, who held a bento in her hand, encouraging the shy girl to make a move.

“H-here Akage senpai, I made this for you.” Ena bent her head as she stretched the bento at Akage while Akage’s classmate watched in anticipation.

The door opened as Yuuta stepped in and froze at the scene. Akage’s eyes met Yuuta before shifting to the timid girl who had the bento stretched out towards her and stood up.

“Thank you for bringing a bento for Yuuta.” Akage said, rejecting the bento before she left the class.

Ena’s eyes teared.

She ran, pushing the bento unto Yuuta before disappearing in the opposite direction. Yumi chased after her, calling out to her heartbroken friend.

Akage, you jerk! Yuuta thought as he clenched his empty fist tightly.

Akage sat against the wall, chewing on a piece of soba bread as she thought about what to eat when she leaves school.

The roof was the only place she could get tranquillity as her lips curled to a sad smile before she drank her strawberry smoothie.

Hisa stepped onto the roof of the school building and stared at Akage, who laid on the ground, listening to music as she approached the cool-headed female. She stopped her track beside Akage, shielding her from the sun as Akage opened her eyes.

“Do you remember me senpai? We met on the bus more than a week ago.” Hisa said as Akage read her lips.

Akage sat up and placed the headphone on her neck. “Who? My memory is foggy.” Akage lied as Hisa bowed her head.

“Senpai, I came to apologise for the other day, so I made you a bento.” Hisa said as she handed a bento to Akage.

Akage was ready to reject it when an enraged Yumi appeared. Akage knew what her purpose was, so she grabbed Hisa’s bento and slowly unwrapped the bento, eating the bento and infuriating Yumi.

Yumi should do anything, but she knew Akage on a personal level and walked up to the red hair.

“How could you comfortably eat after making a girl cry, senpai?” Yumi questioned as she held her temper, but her tone was clearly hostile.

“Ena Hideki is not my girlfriend, so I owe her no obligations.” Akage responded coldly, but it was the truth.

“I wonder why Ena likes a self-centred, mean and an asshole for a person?! Why does it have to be you?!” Yumi questioned before she stomped to the door.

“If my sweet Ena hurts badly because of you, I’ll never forgive you.” Yumi declared angrily and disappeared.

Hisa remained silent as Akage took the drink in Hisa’s hand and drank before the bell rang.

Mrs. Sasori was so excited at the sight of Shiro. He was like a child to her, shy, curious, honest, friendly, and easy to understand. Shiro made Mrs. Sasori’s motherly instincts stronger as she guided him. She frowned when she saw Akage’s bento and carried it.

“It seems the young master has left his lunch, but it’s already way too late to give him the bento.” Mrs. Sasori said as she unwrapped the bento.

“Mrs. Sasori, why do you call A-chan young master?” Shiro asked innocently as his doe eyes intently.

“If you mixed with society properly, you’ll know of the Akazawa clan. A traditional family that has been in the business territory for more than a century. Young master is their heir, and my family is indebted to the young master for saving us during a crisis. He might be cold-hearted, rude, ruthless and logical, but when he opens his heart, it’s only love and roses inside.” Mrs. Sasori explained as Shiro touched his chest.

“What’s wrong little Shiro?” Mrs. Sasori asked.

“I’m fortunate to have met someone like him. I hope he can help me find the owner of this necklace.” He responded as his hands clenched lovingly on the star.

She smiled at Shiro, walking up to the little boy and wrapping her hands around the boy she treated as her other child.

“He took you in. I believe he will help you if you ask kindly.” She assured him as Shiro smiled.

I hope so.

Author's Corner

Bento - Lunchbox

Shiro (She-row)